


When We Were Us

by belightbaek



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, Science Fiction, Slow Burn, not so strangers to lovers, slight angst, slight crack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:22:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28046898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belightbaek/pseuds/belightbaek
Summary: At the edge of his ending time, Park Chanyeol is finally able to complete a time machine.His first journey dates back to when he was 25.He was dumb;And helplessly in love.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Kudos: 13





	1. The Trip Back To You

**Author's Note:**

> When We Were Us is a work of fiction. The names and images of the celebrities mentioned are borrowed and are not meant to represent the celebrities themselves. All original characters and plot belong to the author and is not to be reproduced and/or shared without written permission from the author. No copyright infringement is intended.

“Dad, are you sure this is going to work?”

Chanyeol turns around to see his daughter’s face confused, both of her hands resting on her waist. He is still in awe every time he sees the resemblance of his late husband in her features, the sole reason why he is still holding on. She reminds him of the love he and his late husband carry, she was the sunshine of their little family.

“I just gotta try it, Eun.” Chanyeol says, a smile painted on his wrinkly face. “I’m not a world renowned scientist for no reason, you know?”

“Dad,” Eunbyul sighs, her gaze softens on him. “What if it doesn’t work?”

“Well, I haven’t think much about it yet.”

“What if you stuck there?”

“Then it’ll be great.”

“Dad!”

Chanyeol laughs. He cups his daughter’s cheeks, her baby fat is nowhere to be seen. “I’ll be okay. It’s just a short visit to your Papa.”

Eunbyul reaches for his dad’s hands, her eyes glistening with tears. “You know I’m agreeing to this is only because I know how much you’re in love with him, right? It’s been more than twenty five years since we lost him, Dad.”

“I know,” Chanyeol nods. “Look at you now. A mother blessed with two children. Your Papa is gonna be so proud of you, you know?”

“Dad...”

Chanyeol chuckles. “Your Papa is way better than me at these kinds of things.”

“Doesn’t mean I love you less than Papa, Dad.” Eunbyul says, her thumb caressing her dad’s back hand. “I love you two as much, if not, then more.”

“He raised you really well.” Chanyeol replies in adoration. “I—“

“You did, too.” Eunbyul cuts him first. “You did a great job in raising me, and even now, Jaein and Haein are glued to you. They really look up to you, Dad.”

“All I spent is a day on laboratorium, Eun.”

Eunbyul draws in a long sigh. “Stop beating yourself to it, Dad. It’s been years. Look at you now! You’ve successfully made a time machine!”

“I did.” Chanyeol slowly let go of Eunbyul’s cheeks, attention fully diverted to the metal capsule with loaded buttons and a monitor inside of it. “I really did made one.”

“So, have you decided where to go?”

Chanyeol nods.

“To the year when I first met your Papa.”

Eunbyul giggles. “Of course you will do that, oh god, what was I thinking? But Dad, really, will this capsule follow you everywhere or do you have some kind of technology to put it under radar?” 

“I would be the only one able to see it.” Chanyeol answers, holding a tiny remote on his palm. “Since I travel through time and universe, I would be risking it all.”

“You would always risk it for Papa, Dad.”

Chanyeol looks at the remote on his palm, holding it tight. “You’re right, Eun. I would always risk it all for your Papa.”

—

Chanyeol looks at his own reflection in the mirror, heart racing like the way it used to years ago. Although he is no longer young, he tries his best to dress up exactly the same way when he did back then. Chanyeol goes downstairs right to his underground laboratorium, standing in front of the time machine with anticipation building on him. Chanyeol has tried to make his subject of experiment travels in time and come back here safely in each try, so he’s one hundred percent sure this will work just fine. 

Even when there’s a slight hope in his heart that he will get stuck in there.

Chanyeol nervously touches the cold metal capsule with his bare palms, admiring his final work as a scientist. At the age of sixty five, Chanyeol decides to use and finish this time machine and will destroy it after. 

“Dad.”

Chanyeol jolts, exhaling deeply. “Park Eunbyul! You scared the hell out of me.”

Eunbyul raises her eyebrows. “You’re the scaredy-cat, Dad. I thought we already had established that with Papa back then.”

“I have no idea why you always gang up with your Papa to bully me.” Chanyeol scoffs. “Like really.”

“Are you going to go now?”

“Yeah.” 

Eunbyul reaches for his hoodie, pulling the drawcords to make it the same length. Chanyeol watches her carefully as she smooths out creases in his worn out grey hoodie, patting his shoulder when she’s finished. 

“There.” She smiles at him. “Make yourself look presentable for Papa.”

“Thank you, my baby.” Chanyeol says. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Aren’t you going to have some breakfast first, Dad?”

Chanyeol shakes his head as he steps inside the capsule, fingers busy pushing buttons here and there. 

“I met your Papa on my way to get my breakfast.”

Eunbyul smiles, her dimple showing. “Right. Go get your man, Dad!”

“I will.”

Chanyeol closes the door, the sound of the machine beeping and whirring are the only one filling his eardrums. He waves his hands to Eunbyul, whose hands are crossed in front of her chest, smiling softly at him. Chanyeol could read her lips moving, 

_ “Tell Papa I missed him. I love you both.” _

Chanyeol nods. He looks straight to the year shown on the LED screen in front of him, nostalgia flooding to his soul, knowing exactly what will happen when he travels back. His eyelashes flutter in excitement as he closes his eyes when the world around him starts spinning, sucking him to the unknown dimension;

Ready to let him meet the love of his life once again.

—

The landing was smoother than Chanyeol thought it would be. He’s standing next to a big tree in the middle of Seoul, cool air brushing against his skin. Chanyeol definitely lands back in the exact year and date when he first met his future husband, the one who manages to steal his heart the moment their hands lightly touched each other. He looks up, realizing the leaves have turned golden yellow, the smell of roasted almond and pumpkin latte greeting him from the nearest small shop. 

It’s autumn.

Chanyeol couldn’t hold back his smile. Setting his feet on the same ground with the familiar surrounding brings some kind of solace and comfort for him. He has been witnessing how the world revolves around technology, loads of new inventions were born one after another. Chanyeol is proud to say that some of the new technologies developed including the soon to be released clone technologies are part of his ideas, hoping that the cloning technologies will be useful for resources that can’t be renewed. 

He just didn’t tell anyone, except Eunbyul, that he has successfully made a time machine and traveled back to the designated year he has chosen. 

Chanyeol puts both of his hands in his hoodie pocket, strolling around the area that holds so many memories. In every corner his eyes could reach, fragments of him and his husband are there, projected on his mind beautifully. His footsteps stopped in front of a café, checking his appearances. The wrinkles on his forehead are gone, his cheeks are more filled, his eyes sparkled. 

Chanyeol traveled back in time and his age follows. He’s now 25 again. 

Chanyeol glances at the wristwatch wrapping his firm hand, checking if it’s already too late. He doesn’t quite remember what time he bumped into his husband for the first time, so just in case, he runs to the place where they will meet.

In front of a bakery shop. 

Thanks to his overgrown limbs, courtesy of his dear husband, Chanyeol reaches the bakery in less than ten minutes running. He catches his breath as he waits outside, waiting for that person to come with earphones plugged to his ears. It doesn’t take him long to see a familiar face in the small crowd approaching, eyes glued to his phone screen, his thin, pink lips humming along to the song playing on his smartphone. Chanyeol walks in the opposite direction of him, his heart going crazy. He knows that this man will be the one he spent the rest of his life with, but it can’t be helped. He’s nervous of bumping into the same man that captivated him once again. 

Their shoulders brushed against each other, and that’s exactly when it all repeats. His husband’s surprised face looking up to him with his hazel eyes. 

“I-I’m sorry!” He says, pocketing his phone to his pants. “I wasn’t paying attention!”

Chanyeol casually nods. “That’s okay. Were you on your way somewhere?”

“Uh, yeah,” the smaller man says, the wind playfully ruffling his hair. “I was going to grab some breakfast.”

“Me too.” Chanyeol replies. “Can I—“

“I’ll buy you your breakfast!” He quickly cuts Chanyeol, pulling away his earphone. “Is toast okay?”

Chanyeol does not expect this at all. In his memory, he was the one offering the smaller to buy him breakfast as a token of apology but it was the other way around this time. His brain automatically calculated the possibilities of this encounter and moment repeating in front of him to be different and have other outcomes, then the fear settled in the back of his head.

What if they won’t end up as a lover?

Chanyeol takes a deep breath, trying to push the thought and possibilities away. 

“H-Hey? You.. don’t like toasts?”

“No, in fact, it’s the opposite. I really like toast.”

The man smiles at him, the familiar smile that filled most of his days. 

“Then what are you waiting for?” He turns around, yet stops midway to face Chanyeol again, extending his hand. “Anyway, I’m Baekhyun.”

Chanyeol stares at the delicate fingers in front of him, the same fingers that have wiped so many sweats and tears from their days spent together, the same fingers that hold him every night. Chanyeol accepts the hand, wrapping it on his big palms.

“I’m Chanyeol. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” Baekhyun replies, plugging out his earphone. “Let’s go get some toast, Chanyeol!”

Chanyeol let himself dragged by Baekhyun to enter the small bakery, the smell of freshly baked bread greeting him as soon as he set his feet in the shop. There aren’t many people inside, just a few of them dressed nicely with lanyard and id cards over their neck, some others are probably university students lurking around before their lecture. The bakery is still the exact same as Chanyeol remembered. Baekhyun drags Chanyeol to the counter, where a sweet young lady greets them cheerfully. 

“Good morning. What can I help you with?”

Baekhyun hums as he squints his eyes to read the menu, lips pouting. Chanyeol lets out soft chuckles, still finding Baekhyun’s habit really cute. Baekhyun may not know that Chanyeol already memorized all of his habits he did unconsciously and Chanyeol will keep it that way. 

“Can I have an egg and smoked beef one? Oh, please add cheese in it too!” Baekhyun places his order then turns his head to Chanyeol. “What about you?”

“I’ll have the same.” 

“Okay. Please make that two. What about coffee?”

“Cold americano, please.”

Baekhyun nods. “Two cold americano. But please make it lighter for mine.” 

As Baekhyun proceeds to do the payments, Chanyeol can’t help but to have his eyes glued on that figure, his mind wondering what kind of adventure both of them will have.


	2. The Missing Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chanyeol finds himself having an unexpected adventure that happened on the day Baekhyun disappeared during their university days.

Chanyeol munches on the toast Baekhyun bought for him. The taste of it is still as the way Chanyeol remembers, a little bit too savory to his liking. Neither of them is saying anything, both too busy with the toast that is halfway done. If he remembers correctly, if the memory didn’t fail him, Chanyeol started the conversation by asking something related to school.

Should he use the same strategy again?

“Uh, so,”

“Uh—“

“You can go first,” Chanyeol says, cutting Baekhyun’s words. Although his heart starts racing upon the thoughts and fear that it will be different in this lifetime, now that Chanyeol is sitting across Baekhyun,  _ his  _ Baekhyun, he could proudly say that he is willing to risk it all as long as he can be with Baekhyun once more. 

“Are you a student?”

Chanyeol falls silent. The words coming out from Baekhyun’s lips is the exact same question he asked the latter back then. 

“I-“ 

Chanyeol clears his throat. “I’m not. I’m looking for a job, actually.”

Smooth. Chanyeol is certainly not here to look for a job. He has enough money to feed him until the time he has to go back to his own timeline. “How about you? Are you a student?”

Baekhyun nods. “Senior year at SNU.” 

“How old are you?”

“25.”

“Then why—?”

Baekhyun chuckles. “Right. I took some time off the university to try things I have not tried before. It sounds ridiculous, I know, but during those times off, I feel free.”

Chanyeol smiles to himself. He knows. This was the reason Baekhyun took his time off the university, letting himself graduate later than his peers. The next sentence rolling out from Baekhyun’s lips takes Chanyeol by surprise. 

“I feel like I was on the wrong road, you know?” Baekhyun sips his light americano, his eyes turn to the pedestrian walk by the big window next to where they're sitting. “For one moment there, I hesitated. Truth to be said, I don’t even know if this road I’m taking is truly what I want. But I just keep walking. I keep walking, maybe I’m only following the crowd, but for now, I’ll keep walking.”

Chanyeol doesn’t know that there is more to Baekhyun’s mischievous mind. Of course, as his husband for more than thirty years, Chanyeol knows that Baekhyun has a lot of secrets he doesn’t want to tell others, the secret he prefers to keep to himself. It’s not like Baekhyun doesn’t trust him, no, they once had arguments about this and Baekhyun already clears it up that there are some things that he wants to keep to himself, and Chanyeol respects that. 

After all, being married doesn’t mean you blurred the privacy line.

“I’m rambling, don’t I?” Baekhyun says, interrupting Chanyeol’s own dialogue with his mind. 

Chanyeol waves both of his hands in front of his chest, flustered. “No, no! That is understandable.”

“Really?” Baekhyun’s eyes light up. “Well, it is definitely easier to talk your heart out with strangers.”

_ Strangers.  _ Chanyeol repeats the word inside his mind.  _ If only you know. _

“So, hopefully, I take your mind off things and put your heart at ease, Baek.”

“Strangely, you did.” Baekhyun rests his chin on his palm, his head tilted a little bit. “It’s not easy for me to say things like this but it just comes naturally with you. Isn’t it strange?”

Is Baekhyun flirting with him? That was supposed to be Chanyeol’s line? 

“Maybe there will be more to us, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol raises his coffee cup. “And I honestly can’t wait to see it with you.”

Baekhyun raises his coffee cup too, toasting with Chanyeol. “Me too.”

  
  


***

Meeting Baekhyun becomes something that’s regular for Chanyeol. Ever since he landed fifty-five years back from his original timeline, Chanyeol has been reminiscing so much. He enjoys the spicy rice cake he used to buy on his way to the university where he spent most of his time researching and doing inventions with his colleague. He finally has more time to observe things that he missed during that period of time. Chanyeol pockets his hand to his coat, today’s wind blows a little harder than usual. 

“Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol turns around when a familiar voice calls him. “Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun smiles at him. “What are you doing here?”

“Enjoying the breeze?”

“You’re more likely standing in the way.” 

Chanyeol looks around and clumsily moves next to where Baekhyun is standing, giving the pedestrian space to be able to walk more freely. A distant murmur could be heard when he finally steps out of the way, rubbing his nape shyly. “I was too engrossed in the view. Today is nice.”

“It is.” 

“Are you on the way to the university?” Chanyeol asks, “Want me to walk you?”

“Actually, no,” Baekhyun bites his lower lips, “I was planning to go on hiking.”

“Hiking?”

Just then, Chanyeol’s eyes catch the big backpack Baekhyun is carrying on his shoulder. The top of it is peeking from Baekhyun’s head, as it is almost as tall as his back length. “I can definitely see that.”

Baekhyun nods. “What about you? Want to tag along?”

“Wait. Aren’t you supposed to be in class? Isn’t today a presentation day?”

“How did you know about that?” Baekhyun furrows his eyebrows, “I remember I didn’t tell you anything about today?”

“Uh,”  _ fuck.  _ Chanyeol forgets that he almost remembers everything that happened because obviously, he was there for Baekhyun. So that day when Baekhyun didn’t show up at the presentation day, he was actually out to hike. “A friend of mine whined about it to me yesterday and I thought it’ll be the same for you too.”

“Oh.” Baekhyun replies, “That makes sense.” 

That was a close one. 

“So?” Baekhyun wiggles his eyebrows, teasing Chanyeol. “Are you up for some adventure?”

What’s the worst that could happen? Perhaps now Chanyeol can tag along, exploring the side of his husband that he never know before, being there for him in times he can’t;

To know more of the only one person he loved all his life.

Besides, Chanyeol is aware that the smaller has so many adventure tales he yet to tell their grandchildren. Time wasn’t at their side, he was taken away too soon from Chanyeol’s life and it’s the reason why Chanyeol builds the time machine, to travel back and to be with Baekhyun once again. 

“Earth to Chanyeol?” Baekhyun waves his hand in front of his face. “What do you say? If you’re just gonna stare at me, just let me know-”

“Let’s go!”

A smile blooms on Baekhyun’s face, enough to send butterflies flying inside Chanyeol’s stomach. It didn’t last long, though. Baekhyun’s question makes him go back to his reality, embarrassment filling every inch of his body. 

“Don’t you need some stuff if you want to tag along?”

“You’re right.” Chanyeol agrees, but then the next question that pops up in his mind was another series of confusion. All his life, Chanyeol has been doing nothing but researching and making new inventions, gaining himself the title of the prodigy scientist in the decade. “But.. I don’t know what to bring.”

Baekhyun looks puzzled at first yet he giggles, he giggles up until his eye forms a beautiful crescent shape, the one Chanyeol missed seeing in the past twenty-five year of his Baekhyun-less life. 

***

Chanyeol doesn’t know what is worse: having to carry stuff to the peak of the mountain while his legs are giving up or knowing he will be sleeping in the wild open. Neither of them is a better choice for Chanyeol and he is still sitting in the damp soil, legs stretched out and lungs trying to get as much air as possible. 

Baekhyun is busy setting up the tent, looking really professional at it; as if he already did this his whole life. Twisting the bottle cap open, Chanyeol chugs down almost all of it in one shot, putting his hiking bag down yet stumbled when he tries to stand on his two feet. 

“Careful there, big boy,” Baekhyun laughs while hammering the nail that holds the tent steady to the ground. “Don’t want to trip yourself there.”

“Stop teasing me,” Chanyeol complains, although he did miss some of Baekhyun’s endless tease, “Do you need any help?”

“Can you set up the barbeque stuff?” Baekhyun asks, pointing to another suitcase placed next to the chair he had set up. “It would be nice if we can have it going by now. I need some hot water to cook ramyeon.”

“That’s easy,” Chanyeol beams, getting started with the preparation almost immediately. The task Baekhyun gives him is not that hard, he finishes it in less than half an hour and starts boiling fresh water inside the pot. What comes next is him fighting with the smoke that somehow stings his big eyes. 

No matter how hard Chanyeol tries to fan the smoke away, it always comes back to his direction thanks to the wind that blows harshly to him. 

“Why.. is this… smoke,” Chanyeol grumbles, “won’t get the  _ fuck  _ away from me..”

“Because you are sitting in the wrong direction.” 

Chanyeol turns around and faces Baekhyun who smiles at him, gesturing him to stand up from the camping seat Baekhyun has brought along. Baekhyun moves the chair in the opposite direction of where he was sitting originally and then asks Chanyeol to sit there. Magically, the smoke didn’t hit him so much and his eyes stopped being watery. 

“This way,” Baekhyun puts both of his hands on Chanyeol’s shoulder, squeezing it gently. “You won’t have to fight with the smoke and make your eyes suffer.”

“You’re right.” 

“So, ready for the adventure?”

“Aren’t we already arrived at the place?” Chanyeol raises his eyebrows. “Isn't hiking the adventure?”

“Of course no!” Baekhyun laughs. “We have so many things left to explore this beautiful forest. Let’s cook and fill our stomach first, then!”

“T-Then what?”

  
“Then we are off for the  _ real  _ adventure!”


End file.
